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Macau Special Administrative Region Government

Government strictly enforcing extended ban on smoking

As of 5pm on 1 January, the Heath Bureau had taken action against 15 individuals who had breached the terms of the city's amended Regime of Tobacco Prevention and Control that came into force after midnight that day.

The revised regime includes a ban on smoking in most indoor venues accessible to the public, and at public transport stops and stations. The revised rules also exercise a ban on smoking within 10 metres of bus and taxi stops and stations.

On January 1, bureau inspectors visited a total of 2,931 indoor venues accessible to the public and made visits to 192 public transport stops and stations.

The amended legal framework aims to reduce the use in Macao of tobacco products - including electronic cigarettes -,further protecting the public from the hazardous effects of breathing second-hand smoke, and so reducing the risk of people contracting diseases or dying due to exposure to tobacco smoke.

From the start of the calendar year, a ban on smoking has been extended to all indoor establishments accessible to the public, with the exception of certain designated smoking lounge areas at either the city's airport or the city's casinos.

Under the amended Regime of Tobacco Prevention and Control, the selling and advertising of e-cigarettes, as well as the use of e-cigarettes in no-smoking areas, is also prohibited.

Other amendments include banning the display of any tobacco products in shops and banning the sale of tobacco products in casinos.

The fine for smoking in prohibited areas has been increased to 1,500 patacas from 600 patacas previously. Other smoking-related penalties have also been increased.

The Health Bureau will always seek to enforce stringently the terms of the revised regime on smoking, in order to protect the rights of the non-smoking public. The Bureau urges managements of local establishments to observe the law closely, including by placing no-smoking notices prominently.

The Bureau also provides smoking cessation services to members of the public wishing to kick the habit. For details, please call +853 2848 1238.

'Chinese and Portuguese are the official languages of Macao, the English version of the web site is the translation from the Chinese originals and is provided for reference only.'